The background of the invention will be discussed in two parts.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to infant strollers, and more particularly to a three-wheeled jogging stroller that may be utilized during jogging or running exercise and that is easily foldable for transit and storage.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With physical fitness in mind, some infant strollers have evolved into primarily three-wheeled vehicles that can be utilized while jogging or running. Generally referred to as jogging strollers, the user, while pushing the infant, or infants, therein, may conveniently exercise by jogging or running. The typical three-wheeled jogging stroller is configured with a frame assembly formed of tubular aluminum for vehicular strength and light weight, one or two seats usually of a flexible cloth-like material, and pneumatic spoked-wheel tires. The two rear wheels are often of a diameter approximating that of an elementary school child""s bicycle with the front wheel of the same or somewhat smaller diameter. Some such jogging strollers have been designed and configured for folding, disassembly, or a combination of both, thus providing for convenience and versatility in transportation and storage.
Various jogging strollers having mechanisms for folding the strollers are known in the art and generally include frame member connecting means for retaining the stroller frame members in non-folded state and release means for folding, or collapsing, the stroller frame members into a convenient configuration for transportation or storage. Some such folding mechanisms are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,033 issued to Paul Hinkston on Jul. 16, 1996, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,887,889 issued to Michael Andrus on Mar. 30, 1999, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,302,613 B1 issued to Red Lan on Oct. 16, 2001, and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,267,405 B1 issued to Chin-Chiao Chen on Jul. 31, 2001. Such devices are illustrative of the varied arrangements whereby attempts have been made to improve the folding, or collapsing of jogging strollers for ease of transit and storage.
However, the prior art folding devices remain limited in optimum folding characteristics such as ease of operation and simplicity of design. What is needed is a folding mechanism providing for improved folding of jogging strollers that is safe, dependable and more user friendly under different folding conditions.
It is thus an aspect of the present invention to provide a new and improved jogging stroller having a folding mechanism providing for improved folding characteristics, more user-friendly operation, and greater variation and flexibility under different folding conditions.
It is another aspect of the invention to provide a three-wheeled jogging stroller with a user-friendly foldable frame for an infant that may be utilized during jogging exercise and that is easily foldable for transit and storage.
It is also an aspect of the invention to provide a jogging stroller with removable wheels and a foldable or collapsible frame which may be readily assembled and disassembled, and which stroller is compact, stable and lightweight.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a folding mechanism such that a jogging stroller with removable wheels and a foldable or collapsible frame may be more readily folded and disassembled, for storage and transportation.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a folding mechanism for a three-wheeled jogging stroller that is simple in design, easily accessed and simple in operation to thus provide improved folding for transit and storage.
In accordance with the invention there is provided a three-wheeled jogging stroller having a foldable, or collapsible frame assembly that is transformable from a collapsed, position of reduced length and height to an erected, or upright, user position. The foldable frame assembly includes a base, or lower structural assembly, and an upper structural assembly. The base includes a rear axle assembly having a member of an enlarged diameter tubular construction with couples at opposite ends thereof for supporting de-mountable or removable large diameter spoked wheel pneumatic tires. The rear axle assembly has a fork assembly pivotally coupled thereto and a pair of upright support members. The fork assembly includes a pair of generally parallel fork members supporting the front wheel at one end thereof, and at the other end the fork members are pivotally coupled to the rear axle member by means of crank or clevis members. The pivotable coupling is displaced, or offset, a given distance from the axis of the rear axle member, so that on folding the fork and the upright support members are generally parallel to one another.
The upper structural assembly includes a handlebar assembly including a generally U-shaped handlebar member and handlebar tubes hingedly attached to the free ends of the U-shaped member. The U-shaped member has a brake lever for a caliper type brake which engages the rim of the front wheel. The U-shaped handlebar member is hingedly attached at each free end thereof to the handlebar tubes for folding down, or collapsing, the U-shaped member so that it is underneath and substantially parallel to the handlebar tubes. The other, or free, ends of each of the handlebar tubes are fixedly coupled to an interconnect member that is pivotally coupled to the free end of a respective upright member extending from the rear axle member. Substantially parallel tubes are at one end slidably engaged with a respective interconnect member and at the other end to a footrest. The interconnect member has hold and release means for holding the upper frame in an upright user position and for releasing the interconnect member to slide down the respective tube to collapse the upper frame over the base frame. Additional tubes each have first ends thereof pivotally coupled to support members attached at the forward end of the fork, the other ends of each of the tubes being fixedly coupled to the footrest.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the specification, when taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like elements in the several views.